RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Clay Pot Baking

Claypot baked bread is typical of the region of Oltenia, in southern Romania, and its history goes way back millennia, as it is still made as the ancient Dacian population used to make millet, oat and wheat cakes inside a clay pot placed upside down on a hot bakestone. The method was used during the Roman colonization, then later in the Middle Ages, and the recipe has been passed down from one generation to another down to this very day. In fact, the Romanian word for this type of baking, tzest, comes from the Latin testum, which means turtle shell and suggests the shape of the clay pot.

Clay Pot Baking
Clay Pot Baking

, 09.08.2015, 13:57



Baking bread this way was rather common all across the Balkans. As compared to the oven, which is larger, the tzest has the advantage of reaching the right temperature faster and not needing wood for the fire, only twigs and vegetable remains of sun-flower, corn or other types of dried vegetation. Another advantage is that the method can be used not only to bake bread, but also to cook meat and vegetable dishes.



Before telling you how to make this type of bread, we should first say that this mobile oven would be built, according to tradition, only on the Ropotin day, a feast celebrated on the third Tuesday after Easter, or, according to other local customs, on the first three days of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday after Easter. Making these clay-pot ovens was a ritual, and its main aim was to keep away the hail storms that could have damaged the crops. It was made of yellow clay, mixed with horse manure and straws. Before being used, it had to be fired first, just like any other object used in the household. It can either have a handle to which a chain is attached to keep the top above the bakestone or holes through which metal rods are inserted, with the same role, of lifting up or down the claypot on the hot bakestone.



The first thing to do is to light a fire, and keep the embers under the bakestone for about half an hour. To make the dough you need flour, water, salt and yeast. In the old days, women would not use yeast, but the foam left by fermented fruit, used to make the traditional brandy called tzuica. So, first knead the dough and then leave it to rest and grow. Place the flattened dough inside the hot clay pot, which you must first coat in egg or tomato juice. Place the pot on top the hot bakestone, where it should stay for about half an hour. If the heat is too much, you can remove the burnt top layer. But, in order to prevent that, fresh cabbage leaves can be placed on top of the dough, which are later removed.


As we mentioned earlier, the method can be used to also cook meat or vegetable dishes. So, inside an enamelled pot we can put chicken, covered in spices and a little bit of oil, alongside potatoes, carrots, paprika, onion and green beans. The pot is kept on the bake-stone for half and hour and the food can be served right away. Enjoy!

pulpa-de-miel-foto-m-chirita-rri
The Cooking Show Monday, 06 May 2024

Lamb steak for Easter

Lamb is a must on the Easter table, so here is one of the many recipes you can use if interested in cooking such a dish. For this recipe you will...

Lamb steak for Easter
Easter cake Romanian style
The Cooking Show Sunday, 05 May 2024

Easter cake Romanian style

It’s Easter for Christian orthodox and Greek Catholic believers in Romania, so today we bring you the recipe of a staple this time of the year: the...

Easter cake Romanian style
Chicken dishes in rural cuisine
The Cooking Show Friday, 02 June 2023

Chicken dishes in rural cuisine

Chicken-based dishes vary extensively across regions of...

Chicken dishes in rural cuisine
Lamb dishes
The Cooking Show Monday, 17 April 2023

Lamb dishes

Lamb is a staple dish around Easter, and today's segment brings you two favorite...

Lamb dishes
The Cooking Show Sunday, 16 April 2023

Traditional Easter dishes

Lamb soup, lamb stew and other traditional dishes Romanians eat on Easter...

Traditional Easter dishes
The Cooking Show Friday, 14 April 2023

Lent dishes

Today's suggestions are staple dishes in households observing...

Lent dishes
The Cooking Show Wednesday, 12 April 2023

Lamb dishes

Lamb is a staple dish around Easter, and today's segment brings you two favorite...

Lamb dishes
The Cooking Show Wednesday, 12 April 2023

Lent dishes

Today's suggestions are staple dishes in households observing...

Lent dishes

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company